Troy Howell loved to climb trees as a child,
and compares his creative pursuits to his tree-climbing ones: exploration, discovery, wonder. He also loved books, and since few were at hand, made his own. When he grew up, his tree-climbing, book-making part remained intact. Since then, he has worked with many publishers and is best known for his children's book illustrations. He also writes fiction and nonfiction, creates gallery art, portraits, graphics, and consequently, clutter in his studio. His work has won several awards, and he enjoys giving lectures, but not to his kids (two), his cats (too many), or his wife.